Let Go of the Handle

Celebrate the Season

One of our favorite “get-away” places is Salado, Texas. In the days of the old west Salado was a stop on the stagecoach line at an inn at the bend of a creek at the edge of the Texas hill country. We always stay at a rustic little two-bedroom bed and breakfast overlooking the creek.  Leonard’s favorite thing to do is to sit in the rocker on the front porch and watch the creek.  We were there just after a storm last January.  He spent two days rocking and watching men clean up the fallen trees and brush from the creek.  There is something therapeutic about watching other people work.

My favorite thing is to wonder through the little shops on Main Street.  That is where I discovered a shop called A Bird in the Hand. In the back of the store was a bin filled with my favorite…Brian Andreas’ Story People. He does funky watercolors with his thoughts recorded on them.  I can spend hours in that store just reading, laughing, reflecting, smiling, and crying as I go through the bin. So many of them remind me of specific times in my life. 

This is one of my favorites….

 Everything changed the day I figured out there

was exactly enough time for the important things in my life.

Through the years I have bought several that spoke to me. This is one of a collection of Story People that I have in one of our bathrooms.  They make for interesting some pondering.  I also bought some for gifts for people I thought of when I read the saying.  You can imagine my joy when I discovered that they also come in greeting cards….much cheaper!

Several years ago I bought this card for my friend Marilyn

when she was going through a time of transition.

 

If you hold on to the handle, she said,

it’s easier to maintain the illusion of control.

But it is more fun if you just let the wind carry you.

I had actually forgotten that I sent the card to her 

when last week she showed up at my door

with the card I had sent her, plus one for me, and a handle.  

Her message said “Let Go”.

I framed the card with the handle and put it with my collection in the bathroom….

for more pondering!

Soon, I will be retiring (again) after seven wonderful years with CTP. It is a bittersweet time.  I absolutely love what I have been doing, where I have gone, and all those folks that I have had the opportunity to meet.

But, it is time to give up the illusion of control and to let go of the handle. It is a little frightening to do that. I am not sure where the wind will carry me.  Leonard has promised to tie a string to my toe.  If I drift too far away in the wind he said he would pull the string and reel me back in. It is good to have someone to hold on to your string….just in case.

So, I am going to try to remember these lessons…..

There is exactly enough time for the important things in my life.

We all just have the illusion of control.

We need to let go of the handle.

May you have all the blessings, joy and love of this season.
Let go of the handle and fly!

…..Tommie